Imran Khan urges Pakistani filmmakers to focus on original content, not copy Bollywood

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged the country`s filmmakers to focus on original content and adopt new approaches to filmmaking instead of copying Bollywood.

During an event at the short film festival in Islamabad, Khan said mistakes were committed at the beginning since the Pakistani film industry was "impressed" by Bollywood which resulted in copying and adopting another culture.

"So the most important thing I want to say to young filmmakers is that according to my experience of the world, only originality sells -- the copy has no value," he said, as quoted by Dawn newspaper.

While stressing on the importance of originality, Imran Khan urged the Pakistani film industry to bring a new way of thinking. Noting the influence of Hollywood and Bollywood on Pakistani culture, Imran Khan said he was repeatedly told that people don`t watch local films unless commercial content isn`t included.

"So my (advice) to young filmmakers is to bring your own original thinking and don`t fear failure. It is my life`s experience that the one who is afraid of defeat can never win."The Pakistani PM also hit out against the need to promote the country`s soft image. He said that the soft image was based on a sense of inferiority and defensiveness when Pakistan used to be mischaracterized during the "war on terror".

"The world respects the one who respects themselves," he said, adding that Pakistaniyat should be promoted.Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General, also spoke at the event and said the time had arrived to work on improving the perception of Pakistan,Dawn reported.

Gen Babar said this film festival was a small part of that effort and asked: "Why should we not give youth the responsibility of showing the real Pakistan?"